Retel's Jewel
Introduction Retel's Jewel, also known as the (Vice)duchess' Jewel, is a former crown jewel of the Kingdom of Alterac and one of the few remaining pieces of the Kingdom's treasury. Nowadays Retel's Jewel is worn by the heir to the Leading House of Alterac as a sign of the Province's Wealth and its leadership; thus losing its status as crown jewel, as the province has no king or queen. The jewel is in fact a semi-tight neclace with opals, sapphires, tourmalines and topazs known for their strong color and clarity. History Forging According to surviving documents by the Six Sisters' Treasury of Alterac Retel's Jewel was completed by 259AMD after two years, thus marking the beginning of the forging at 257AMD. The document furthermore states that it was designed and created by members of the house Melethorium and that the Queen of Alterac at the time, Queen Retel VI, was overjoyed and in her gratitude granted the family nobility. The House Melethorium exists to the day under the evolved name of Melthoreau, who continue to be a political faction in Alterac. Materials As the document states, the men of Melethorium found a deep and forgotton dwarven mine near the Fifth Sister's foot, deeper than any Alteracean mine went, and in it they battled foul creatures forgotton by man to get the fire opals and imperial topazs that they required, and that the splendor of the dwarven mines still resided in the reflection of the topazs, and the extinguished flames burnt on in the fire opals. The zircons and white sapphires framing the orange and golden gems are a Melethorium family treasure that had been passed down since 13BDC. The fathers of the house were said to have travelled to the nest of a lonesome mother spider that spat the mountain's lightning and screamed it's anger in the form of thunder. Days passed and they beat the childbearing beast and took the mountain's voice with it. When the body broke open, the men expected it's children to run free, and they readied for battle; all that spewed from the carapace was the purest gems; as clear as the mountain water and as white as the snow. Use as a Crown Jewel In the following centuries Retel's Jewel was passed down from Alterac's highest positioned female to the next, thus usually being worn by the queens or the princesses of the mountainous kingdom. When turbulences came to the reign, and finally the Perenolde Dynasty found an end and Alterac was dissolved the jewel was locked away and forgotton. The jewel was found again in 30AC when the city keep's renovations began and it once again became the seat of power in the mountains. Renaissance in the Civil War Lordaeron When the Civil War broke out and Alterac was besieged and half-conquered, the province froze into a state of self-concentration and preservation. Completely cut off from the rest of New Lordaeron and in an almost completely defensive stance, the people flourished not in the today- but in the yesterday. Alterac's Representative at the time, Rep. Ilsaryn Silverwillow , returned Alterac to an almost monarchistic rule in the state of crisis with little opposition. To soothen the nostalgic people she re-destined Retel's Jewel to the Duchess' jewel. She knew that the insigna of power would raise the morale and strengthen her own leadership. Retel's Jewel once again found itself on the neck of Alterac's most powerful woman. Post-Civil War After the Kingdom of Darrowmere was reconquered the representative to the assembly dissolved much of her power and reformed the state to a conservative, tradition-heavy aristocracy and renamed herself as Viceduchess. Despite letting go of much of her powers she continued to wear the neclace. In the time of exodus from Alterac and the stay in Tyr's Reach Valley, the tradition is continued and taken great pride in by Alterac's people. Category:Items Category:Lore